Hilco Real Estate Finance (HREF) has announced a substantial cut in its lending rates.

The reductions – in most cases exceeding one percentage point per annum – reflect both the lender’s recent growth and its ambition to dominate the £5m to £50m loan segment.

The specialist bridging lender, which launched in September 2023 as a subsidiary of Hilco Global, said the lower pricing has been made possible by economies of scale and increasing efficiencies across its operations.

“Our swift growth has brought benefits and economies that we are keen to pass on to our borrowers and intermediaries as we consolidate our foothold in the UK market,” said Brad Altberger (pictured), chief executive of HREF.

The lender has already exceeded its internal growth targets for the year and is seeking to leverage its early momentum.

“We’re very excited that our growth is ahead of target and is bringing interest and opportunities to enable us to beat our plan, but cementing our place as a go-to bridge lender in the £5m–£50m space is our near-term goal, and passing on economies and offering lower rates will help with that,” Altberger added.

HREF has emerged as a serious player in the mid-ticket space, where many traditional lenders have scaled back in recent years. The firm’s pipeline in the first half of 2025 was dominated by deals between £5m and £30m, supporting a range of assets from student accommodation and hotels to residential schemes and serviced offices.

The firm is particularly focused on speed and execution. “The market now better understands our core aims to lend rapidly, with a high degree of certainty on the right calibre of asset, and we’re showing that we can do deals in just two weeks with good collateral and track record,” said Max Lewis, chief investment officer.

Recent transactions have been secured on assets across the UK and Ireland, with loans delivered in cities including London, Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle, and Waterford.